Aero auxiliary cylinder



Nov. 25, 1930. J. H. WHEELER AERO AUXILIARY CYLINDER Filed Ot. 2l, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY Nov. 25, 1930. .1. H. WHEELER AERO AUXILIARY CYLINDER Filed Oct. 21, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 25., 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN H. WHEELER, DECEASED, LATE OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, BY GRAC-P. lWIEIIEIElllZIER, ADMINISTRATRIX, F ,(JOIIUIYIB'pUS,A OHIO Anno AUXILIARY CYLINDER Application led October 21, 1929i Serial No. 401,266. 4

This invention relates to air currents, an'

which may be used with either heavier orV lighter than air machines for the purpose of increasing the efliciency and safety of such machines. v

The invention is primarily intended for use with airplanes, and includes a hollow longitudinally disposed stabilizing cylinder 1o which, due to the constant flow of air therethrough, provides exceptional horizontal stability and materially increased lifting capacity.

The primary object of the invention however, is to increase the lifting capacity of an airplane without increasing its 'wing spread,

and for this purpose the invention includes a hollow cylinder within which motors as well as propellers are arranged. .This arrangement sets up a strong current of air through the cylinder, and the propellers, together with the exhaust of the motors which pass out the rear end of the cylinder provides anexceptional strong current of air through said cylinder. This action will materially inincrease the lifting power of the plane and its speed of travel for a given horse power, and will in addition, eliminate the deafening roar of the exhaust gases from the mo- :i tors. Y

In addition, this current of air will carry off the odors of said gases, so that both the noise and odor will-not reach the occupants of the airplane.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and 10 pointed out in the appended claim.

' In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of an airplane illustrating the invention.

Figure 2 is a front view.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional View.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in rear elevation.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View through the rear end of the hollow cylinder.

Referring to thedrawingsfin detail whereto bank about a propeller hub and lower the in-like characters of referencedenotecorresponding parts, the reference character 10 indicates the fuselage of an airplane to which there. is attacheda stabilizingcylinder 11. This cylinder is hollow throughout its length and is open at each end, being disposed longitudinally and centrally ofthe fuselage and resting within a recess k12 provided in the fuselage for that purpose. The fuselage ispreferably caxnbered as shown at 13. after the manner of an airfoil, so as to increase the lifting power of the plane even at slow speeds.

The wings 14 of the plane extend laterally from opposite sides of the cylinder 11, and while the invention is shown in` connection with a monoplane, it may also be used with a biplane.

Stream line braces or struts 15 connect the wings with the fuselage and stabilizing cylinder so as to provide a rigid structure.

Mounted within stabilizing cylinder 11 in suitable supports 16 are motors 17. These motors may be ofany suitable character, but are preferably air cooled radial motors and are reversely arranged. The motors operate propellers 18 and 19 which have reverse pitch relative to each other, so that one of these propellers will function as a suction propeller and the otheras a pushing propeller. The air will thus be drawn in through the front end of the cylinder 11 and pushed or forced outward through the rear end. This will provide an exceedingly strong'current of air and will eliminate dead air that ordinarily tends S5 efficiency of the propeller. In addition, the housing of the motors within the cylinder increases the force of travel of air through the cylinder. Further, the noise of the exhaust i of the motors is deadened'and odors from the W1 exhaust will be carried outward by the-air stream away from the fuselage, so that the occupants will' not be subjected either to the noise or odors ofthe exhaust. y i, Mounted within the rear end of the cylinder 11 are control rudders 2O and 21, the former being controlled by cables 22 and the latter by cables 23 which lead into the control compartment of the airplane. s The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall Within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention what is claimed is A device of the character set forth comprising a fuselage tapering from the forward end toward the rear end and having a longitudinally extending groove formed in the top wall thereof, a hollow1 stabilizing cylinder having each end fully open and secured in the recess of the fuselage and extending substantially the full rlength of the latter, wings secured to the fuselage, struts secured to the Wines and to the fuselage and cylinder, brac ets arranged in the cylinder inwardly of the forward end thereof, motors carried bythe brackets, propellers driven by said motors and located in the cylinder in close proximity to each other and one of said propellers of the suction type and the other propeller of the type to cause the air to be rapidly forced through the cylinder along with the exhaust from the motors in a rearward direction relative to the fuselage, and steering means located at the rear end of the cylinder. In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

GRACE P. WHEELER,

0 Admaatmmw for me Estat@ of Jaim H.

Wheeler, Deceased. 

